Labrador City 120 Sled Dog Race

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I might as well nap since they won't let me race yet.

I'm hiding behind the tire so the other dogs don't see these hot pink booties.

The countdown as the race began. The komatic and team are tied to a 1 ton pick-up truck so they didn't jump the gun.

This musher is wearing a miner's lamp on his head.

Another musher and team beginning the race.

The last musher off the starting blocks is Mademoiselle Caroline from Quebec. She won the race and it was her first time to win a race with her Siberian Huskies.

This 120 KM (75 mile) dog sled race begins at the Labrador City town depot. The teams are released at ten minute intervals. Approximately four hours later, they arrive at Steers River located 60 KM (37 miles) away. They enjoy a six hour rest before they race back; during this break the dogs' feet and equipment are checked plus the racers are fed. The winner is determined by the team posting the shortest aggregate time. This annual event starts on a Saturday at 4PM and is completed Sunday at 6AM. That means part of the race each way is in the dark.

This race is composed of teams with ten-dogs and one musher. To assure fairness, there is a minimum combined weight requirement for the sled and musher; if this is not met extra weight is added to the komatik.

Snowmobilers guide the way and also provide protection. We noticed several rifles attached to the snowmobiles in the event of a wolf attack.

The finishing statistics for the six teams:
    1. Carolyn Morin from Quebec finished in 7:48
    2. Jim Ochlachlaegar from Michigan finished in 7:59
    3. Paul Boudeau from Quebec finished 8:04; he was a past winner of this event.
    4. Charlie Russell from Labrador City, NL, finished in 9:21
    5. Michel LeCuyer from Fermont, Quebec, finished in 10:02
    6. Alex Penny from Wabush, NL, finished in 10:49

Carolyn jumped from last to third place at the rest stop, was the first to leave from the rest point at Steers River.